


I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

by creampuffqueen



Series: Future Family Fics [5]
Category: Renegades - Marissa Meyer
Genre: Christmas, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Fluff, Presents, gen 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23188090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creampuffqueen/pseuds/creampuffqueen
Summary: Posted originally on Tumblr for ChristmasNova and Adrian's daughter wants something for Christmas that seems pretty impossible- a hippo. Thakfully, Adrian has an idea
Relationships: Nova Artino | Nightmare/Adrian Everhart | Sketch
Series: Future Family Fics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538509
Kudos: 8





	I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> You can read this on tumblr @creampuffqueen! Part of my Fanfic Advent Calendar... which only has four fics on it, unfortunately.

“And what would you like for Christmas, little one?” Lina Everhart perched on the knee of a massive man clad in red, unable to stop bouncing even to answer.

“I want a hippopotamus, please.” She finally said after a moment’s consideration. Standing nearby, Nova Everhart had to hide her grimace, while her husband let out a loud cough to disguise his near-hysterical laughter.

“Santa Claus” looked mildly concerned at the little girl’s request, but he smiled nonetheless and patted her on the shoulder. “I will make sure that the elves in my workshop wrangle a hippo for you.”

Smiling from ear to ear, Lina hopped off the man’s lap and bounced over to her parents, dark curls bobbing up and down as she skipped.

Nova held out a hand to her daughter, smiling broadly. “What did you ask Santa for, sweetie?” She inquired, though she already knew.

“A hippopotamus.” Lina stated matter-of-factly. Adrian coughed again, trying his hardest not to laugh. Nova rolled her eyes at him.

“A hippo is awfully big, Lina darling,” Adrian said, as if size was any concern to a bubbly five-year-old. 

Their daughter shrugged; a bad habit she’d picked up from her Uncle Max, and said nothing else. Instead she kept her hands firmly linked with her parents’ and swung between them as they walked out of the small store. 

It was quite cold outside, cold enough that Adrian picked Lina up to keep her off the freezing ground. Without her daughter between them, Nova scooted closer to his husband, keeping close by for his steady warmth. In his arms, Lina squirmed until her father placed her on his shoulders.

“Onward!” Lina declared, using part of the extensive vocabulary she’d also picked up from her Uncle Max. Adrian chuckled and squeezed Nova’s hand while their daughter spouted her favorite words from up above them.

They finally made it back to their apartment, and Lina dutifully stomped off her boots on the doormat, despite there being no more snow. It had all come and gone by the time December rolled around.

Adrian fixed all of them a mug of hot chocolate, complete with an absolutely obscene amount of marshmallows and whipped cream. Sitting at her chair in the kitchen, Lina kicked her legs happily as she sipped. 

“Is there anything else you want for Christmas?” Nova asked her daughter. She wouldn’t say it, but a hippopotamus wasn’t going to happen. She just hoped there was something else so Lina wouldn’t be too terribly crushed.

“Nope. I want a hippopotamus, Mommy.” Nova let out a soft sigh. A stuffed hippo likely wouldn’t cut it, and she could already envision the disappointed look on her child’s face come Christmas morning. The holiday was in three days- where in the hell would they find a hippopotamus?

With all the marshmallows gone from her drink, Lina put her mug down and skipped off to the living room, likely to go watch TV. Sure enough, the blaring of a cheesy Christmas movie soon filled the apartment, while Nova and Adrian still sat in the kitchen.

“You know, I once asked my mother if she could get me a dog for Christmas.” Adrian offered. Nova snorted. She couldn’t quite remember, but she felt as though she’d had a similar experience sometime when she was very young.

“Yes, but I say damn all of us for teaching her about animals.” Nova snorted. The comment earned another chuckle from Adrian, and he leaned over to kiss the top of her head. 

“Nova, leave this to me. Our daughter will get what she wants for Christmas.” Nova couldn’t really think straight anymore, not with the way he was looking at her, so she simply nodded. And she simply trusted that he knew what he was doing. 

Christmas morning had arrived, bright and early. The ‘early’ part because Lina had awoken her parents by jumping up and down on their bed until they rolled out and got up to make breakfast. 

There was no sign of the promised hippo, but Lina didn’t seem to have noticed it’s absence just yet, so engrossed in her breakfast and then her other gifts. 

She’d received a mini art set from her parents, a collection of her favorite movies from her grandfathers, an RC car from her Uncle Oscar and Aunty Ruby, a doll set from her Aunty Danna and Aunty Narcissa, and a miniature Renegades uniform from her Uncle Max. All in all, a very good Christmas haul. However, after she’d thoroughly enjoyed each gift, it was then that Lina noticed a very important missing item.

“I didn’t get any presents from Santa.” Lina whined miserably, and the heartbreak on her face made Nova want to cry. 

“It’s ok baby, I’m sure he’s just running late.” Folding her daughter into her arms, Nova sent a not-so-subtle glare at her husband. Adrian raised his hands in defense, mouthing something that Nova couldn’t make out. 

After a hug from both parents, the five year old girl moved on to playing with her toys, but she only half-heartedly scribbled on a piece of paper with a turquoise marker. 

Adrian sat at the kitchen table with her, gently taking the marker from her hands. Lina looked up at him, big brown eyes and pouty lips making her look even more pitifully sad.

“I think,” Adrian said softly, “That perhaps Santa didn’t have quite enough time to wrangle up your present. After all, three days isn’t very long to find an entire hippo.” Lina nodded, though she didn’t seem to be paying attention.

“And since he didn’t have enough time,” He continued, drawing something onto the kitchen table, “Santa asked me to be his helper. If your hippo could be any color, like any color in the whole wide world, what color would it be?”

That caught Lina’s interest, and she perked up a bit. “I want a green hippo.”

“Then a green hippo you shall have!” Adrian declared. He took the green marker from the art set and filled in his drawing. Then, with a touch of his fingers and a wisp of his breath, something began to rise from the kitchen table.

Nova watched, all annoyance forgotten, as a bright green hippo, the size of a small dog, emerged from the table. Lina watched in awe, as if seeing her father’s powers in a whole new light. 

The hippo snorted and stomped, eliciting squeals from the little girl. Lina scooped up the freshly-drawn creature, giggling as it’s whiskers tickled her arms. 

“Now how’s that for a hippopotamus for Christmas?” Adrian said with a grin. Nova rolled her eyes, but didn’t respond. Instead she watched her daughter heft her new pet around the house, a joyous smile on her face.

“Pretty good, Sketch.” Nova finally commented. Adrian puffed up at her praise. Then she shot him a look, and continued, “But that thing isn’t staying in our house past Christmas. I think you’ll have to be the one to tell Lina that her new best friend had to leave.”

Adrian sighed, though a slight smile still graced his features. Now it was his turn to roll his eyes as he and Nova followed their baby girl through the apartment.


End file.
